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CHAPTER III. OUR NEW INMATE. Early next week Esmeralda Pleydell
made her appearance. Uncle Amory sent her on to us, in a fly, from
his house, with her solitary huge box. He paid the fare generously,
and doubtless considered thenceforward that he had done his duty by
her. Mother and Ellie were out walking when she arrived, and
Francey was lying down, so I had to welcome her alone. I knew I
ought to be kind and cordial, but somehow I felt frigid as ice. My
first impression was of a slight-made girl, under medium height,
with a great quantity of untidily-dressed and strongly-golden hair;
a rough short jacket, and a black skirt hanging in awkward folds,
which teased my rather artistic eyes. My cold manner acted upon her
instantaneously. One glance ran me over from head to foot, and a
limp hand-shake and chilly kiss passed between us. She just offered
one cheek, and moved away almost before I could touch it. There was
some difficulty about the box. Thecabman grumbled at having to lift
it, and utterly refused to carry it upstairs. Indeed, I did not
know where it could be put, even had he been willing. So it stood
against the wall in our narrow passage, barely allowing space for
one person to squeeze by. Esmeralda took the matter very coolly. I
suppose she was well used to such things in her rough Canadian
life, but it vexed me to see how little she seemed to consider the
inconvenience to which she was putting us. " Would you like to come
and warm yourself in the drawing-room ? " I asked, when the cabman
was gone. " Thank you." And we walked in together and sat down on
the sofa. Esmeralda pulled off her gloves, and bent forward,
holding her chilled blue ringers to the blaze. I examined her face
furtively, while she was taking an open unabashed survey of our
poor litt...